- Details
- Written by Tom Miles Tom Miles
- Created: April 05 2017 April 05 2017
Services are at 11:00 AM and 6:30 PM. Join us after the early service for lunch (at Noon) or for dinner, at 5:45 PM, before the evening service.
March 1: Ash Wednesday
On Ash Wednesday, we come down from the mountain with Jesus and set our face with His toward the cross in Jerusalem. We make our pilgrimage with Him by the way of repentance, and thus return to the dying and rising of Holy Baptism. For Christ Jesus, who knew no sin, became our sin, so that by His death we are released from sin, and in His resurrection we “become the righteousness of God.” Since God has thereby reconciled the world to Himself in Christ, “now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” He summons you to return to Him with all your heart because He is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” Do so in faith and confidence before Him, and pray to Him as your Father. Give to the needy from a heart of love, and fast for the sake of repentance.
Download the bulletin (pdf)
Pastor Nettleton’s message (mp3)
March 8: “He Only Has Eyes for You” (Isaiah 43:1–7)
“God is faithful; God will never Break His covenant of blood, Signed when our Redeemer died, Sealed when He was glorified” (LSB 435:4). These priceless promises come from the well-known hymn “Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain.” It summarizes the gist of Isaiah 43:1–7. 25 times in these verses the prophet employs the word “you.” You are redeemed. You belong to God. You are honored. You are valuable. God loves you! Judean exiles were prisoners and cogs in Babylon’s vast and ever-growing political machine. But the empire will never have the last word! On a hill called Calvary, Jesus paid the price for us. We belong to Him! So why wait? “Come to Calvary’s holy mountain, Sinners, ruined by the fall; Here a pure and healing fountain Flows for you, for me, for all” (LSB 435:1).
Download the bulletin (pdf)
Pastor Nettleton’s message (mp3)
March 15: “Marked” (Isaiah 44:1–5)
The prophet Isaiah wanted Judean exiles in Babylon to know the joy of belonging to God. The problem, though, was that these people weren’t interested in singing the song of salvation. Babylon seemed to offer so much more! Isaiah counters with some of the most magnificent promises in the Old Testament, all to the end that God’s people remember that they are His. On the day when you were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, your pastor probably also spoke these words to you: “Receive the sign of the holy cross, both upon your forehead and upon your heart, to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.” We are marked, forever! This is why we sing, “Baptismal waters cover me; Christ's wounded hand has set me free. Held in my Father's strong embrace, With joy I praise Him for His grace” (LSB 616:5).
Download the bulletin (pdf)
Pastor Nettleton’s message (mp3)
March 22: “Breaking Down the Gates” (Isaiah 45:1–8)
“Jesus, refuge of the weary, Blest Redeemer, whom we love, Fountain in life’s desert dreary, Savior from the world above” (LSB 423:1). Judean exiles in Babylon were weary! They were stuck with sights and sounds that were so different. How they longed to be free! Enter Cyrus, a Persian king, whom God calls His “anointed one” (Isaiah 45:1). When we feel as though the devil has locked the gate and thrown away the key, God sends us Jesus, who is the Anointed One! During His earthly ministry, He opened eyes and ears and hearts—He even opened graves! At one point Jesus promised, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). And so we sing, “Jesus, may our hearts be burning With more fervent love for You; May our eyes be ever turning To behold Your cross anew” (LSB 423:3).
Download the bulletin (pdf)
Pastor Nettleton’s message (mp3)
March 29: “Get Out!” (Isaiah 48:17–22)
“Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain Could give the guilty conscience peace Or wash away the stain” (LSB 431:1). We can only be saved through Christ’s blood. Consider these words, penned by Isaiah and promised by God, “I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25). “I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like mist” (Isaiah 44:22). Jesus cleanses us from sin through His blood. Blood was all He had. His disciples had deserted Him. His garments had been gambled away. Even His Father had turned His back. Blood was all He had, but the blood of Jesus is all we need. “Believing, we rejoice To see the curse remove; We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice And sing His bleeding love” (LSB 431:5).
Download the bulletin (pdf)
Pastor Nettleton’s message (mp3)
April 5: “One Little Word Can Fell Him” (Isaiah 49:1–6)
The Bible employs numerous images to depict the power and beauty of God’s Word. It is likened to seed sown upon the ground (Matthew 13:1–9), a lamp shining in the darkness (Psalm 119:105), precious gold and sweet honey (Psalm 19:10) and a sharp sword (Isaiah 49:2 and Hebrews 4:12). When God speaks, things happen. In fact, sometimes Jesus only needed to say one word and it changed everything. Once, a Roman centurion cried out to Him, “Lord, just say the word, and we will be healed” (Matthew 8:8). God is still speaking! Isaiah reminds the exiles and us that God's Word stands forever (Isaiah 40:8)! The Word made flesh stands and is alive forever! “He's by our side upon the plain With His good gifts and Spirit. And take they our life, Goods, fame, child and wife, Though these all be gone, Our victory has been won; The Kingdom ours remaineth” (LSB 656:4).
Download the bulletin (pdf)
Pastor Nettleton’s message (mp3)
Adapted from a series from Concordia Publishing House.